


Blood and Gore

by Fighting4Fandoms



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Abuse, Abusive Relationships, Alpha Jack, Amputation, Angst, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mpreg, Omega Rhys, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-03-29 18:20:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 12,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19025347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fighting4Fandoms/pseuds/Fighting4Fandoms
Summary: After a terrible misunderstanding, Jack sold Rhys to the Atlas Corporation so Fiona, Sasha and Vaughn try to get him back





	1. Misunderstanding

SLAP! 

Jack sent Rhys flying across the room, a new vicious red mark to accompany the many others. Rhys held his cheek as he collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down his face. He didn't know what he had done to warrant this brutal attack but he knew that he shouldn't fight back, it would only make it worse. He felt himself being lifted off the ground and slammed into the wall, the cold concrete drew the breath from his lungs. 

"You really think that I wouldn't find out?" Jack menacingly whispered into his ear, holding his neck in a vice grip. 

Rhys sobbed in his hold and tried to claw at his hands, Jack only tightened his grip. 

"How dare you sell us out to Atlas? FUCKING ATLAS!" Jack threw Rhys across the floor, knocking over one of the glass tables, shattering it on impact. Rhys dropped to the ground, feeling the glass shards slice his leg. Rhys attempted to crawl away but Jack kicked him in his back, causing him to arch is back. Rhys cried out, screwing his eyes shut. 

Jack kicked his twice more causing Rhys to spasm in pain. Jack crouched down and lifted Rhys' head by his hair, threatening him, "What made you think that I wouldn't find out... huh?" 

When Rhys didn't answer him Jack yelled and slammed his head into the floor, making a deep gash on Rhys' head, letting the blood splatter the floor and his face. Rhys gagged on the blood and sobbed when Jack maliciously turned his onto his back and punched his face over and over and over again, painting the younger man's face blue, purple and black. The colours mixing with the blood that was already drying. 

Rhys felt his eyes swell and his vision blur as Jack continued to throw abuse at him, both verbal and physical. 

"...please..." Rhys whimpered. "...I...I didn't do anything..."

Jack spat in his face and took out his knife, carving Rhys face and tearing the place between his shoulder and neck. He loosened it slightly with a sneer on his face. He looked at Rhys face and glared deeply into his soul. Standing up, Jack took Rhys hand and stood on his chest, he pulled at the arm, Rhys screaming in agony as he did so. Jack didn't even blink as he tore Rhys' arm and watching with a menacing fascination as he tore it of, even taking some of Rhys' actual shoulder with it. Rhys screamed in pure pain and anguish as blood pooled around him, pain blooming like a poisonous rose, red and painful to look upon. Rhys screwed his eyes shut even tighter as the blood stained the floor and his body. Tears continued to stream down his face as Jack threw the arm to the side. 

Jack stared at the pitiful sight before him and kicked Rhys once more, snapping his ribs in two. He laughed to himself, this was such a release. Yes, he had hit Rhys before but it felt so good this time... he was punishing Rhys for a genuine reason this time, he had no reason to feel guilt. Rhys deserved this. 

He stood back and roared in a maniacal laughter, watching the scene that he had created. 

Rhys was laid on his back, pale and death-like. Blood was everywhere and he heaved as he breathed, it was painful to even do that. He coughed slightly and blood pooled down his chin. What had he done to deserve this punishment? He looked to his side and even more tears fell down as he saw Jack's face and the pleasing smile that was on it.

The last thing that Rhys saw was Jack turning away from him, walking out of their bedroom... then his eyes were closed. 

*

Angel watched the scene from her chambers, through the cameras that she always had access to. She had seen her father hit Rhys before, she always wanted to stop him but she couldn't leave the room and whenever Jack came to see her, him and Rhys and always made up by then. Still, watching Jack do this made her sick to her very core. It was different this time, Jack thought that Rhys really deserved the pain and torture that he had delivered him. 

She sat on her bed and put her head in her hands, tears fell down from her eyes as she cried, her eyes closed. She held her head and cried. Something wasn't right though, Rhys wouldn't do anything like sell out Hyperion. 

Leaping off her bed, she walked over to the centre of her room and closed her eyes, accessing the files inside her head, yes, she would proof to her father that Rhys didn't actually do anything at all. It would take a lot of searching but what else did she have to do? 

*

Jack sat in his office. 

Deep in thought, he looked outside of the window, on the world of Pandora below. He had sent Wilhelm to deal with the traitor, he was going to give Rhys to the very company that he had sold them out to. Yes, Atlas would deal with him. He sat in his chair and looked down at his hands, it had taken him a while to wash the blood from his hands, but it was worth it. 

It was strange, just yesterday he held Rhys in his arms and whispered words of love to him as Rhys rambled on about something, he was never sure of what. 

Jack punched his desk in anger, how dare that bastard play with his feelings. How dare he betray him like that! After everything he had done for him! What a prick! 

 

"You called?" Maya said as she wandered up the stairs to Jack's desk. 

Jack spun around and nodded, "Yeah, erm, go talk to Angel for me, she's been bored but I can't really see her right now." 

Maya nodded and walked back down the stairs. 

Jack put his head in his hands, his little Angel, God, what was she going to think about all of this? 


	2. Torture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys is taken by the Atlas company... but then gets sold out to a group of bandits.

Rhys had spent a week in the Atlas ship, beaten by their thugs. He was still unsure of what and why this was happening to him, Rhys had suffered such brutality in just a short amount of time. They had kept him chained to a wall in a dark room, he hadn't seen light for hours, they hardly fed him but kept him hydrated for some obscure reason. 

Eventually though, they got bored of him and so Atlas sold him to a group of bandits down on Pandora. Rhys had so many cuts, bruises, grazes and gashes on his... well everywhere. 

His robotic arm had obviously been torn out by Jack but Atlas had bandaged his shoulder up albeit very poorly. He was surprised that he wasn't dead by now, it was like something or someone was keeping him alive for some odd reason. A bloody cruel twist of fate. Life always loved to dick him over. 

He had been with this particular group of bandits for a couple of months now, maybe longer, since staying there time had become an illusion and nothing more. He could never tell if it was day or night. 

These bandits locked him inside of a room if they didn't need him, he had been beaten, raped and assaulted. He was just a shell of a broken man, at this point he didn't even know why he was still living at this point. He could barely breath half the time and he couldn't even sleep in case a nightmare plagued him. 

 

Sagging against the wall, Rhys silently sobbed, his knees drawn to his chest and his arm was limp beside him. He could feel the dried blood on his face peel off, possibly some skin too. His chest heaved as he breathed, he clutched at his chest as a searing pain tore through him. His heart was broken and he couldn't feel anything other than the pain that had been inflicted upon him. 

He closed his eyes and laid against the floor, he bled against the metal floor and sobbed his broken heart out. 

He didn't know if he would ever make it out of here but what he did know... was that Jack wasn't even thinking about him. He probably had forgotten all about him. 

*

Oh, how wrong Rhys was. 

 

The truth was, even after the months that had passed since he last saw Rhys, Jack never really forgot about him. He was currently in his penthouse, sitting on his bed looking through the pictures on his pad, most of them were of his late wife and Angel but he did have a couple of pictures of him and Rhys. Oh, that boy... Jack groaned in annoyance and slammed the pad down on the bed. He put his head in his hands and sighed. 

Angel had told him that it wasn't Rhys that sold them out but without proof he did not believe a word. 

Sometimes though, he had to think that Angel could have been telling the truth. 

He sighed and glanced to the side, he saw the picture of him and Rhys and his heart clenched slightly. If Rhys really hadn't sold them out then he would feel so guilty, words wouldn't even begin to describe how he would feel. Rhys always had come back to him, even after the abuse he had thrown at him. Jack teared slightly at the thought of Rhys... the first time that he- that he hit him, he stormed out of the apartment, leaving Rhys to tidy the mess. He couldn't even remember why he had been angry. He knew that the penthouse had been left... in a shit way to say the least. 

When he finally did come back home, the house had been tidied away and he though he would find Rhys in bed but he actually found him asleep on the sofa. Poor lad probably waited up for him to come back. Jack crouched down in front of him, grimaced at the large bruise he had left on his cheek and kissed him where he had slapped him. He sighed into his hand and grabbed a blanket, covering his boyfriend. 

He promised that he wouldn't lash out again but he broke that promise about half a year later. The penthouse had been trashed again and he stormed out of the house again, leaving Rhys to clean the mess again. When he got back that time, the mess had been cleaned up again but Rhys wasn't asleep on the sofa, Jack could hear him cry in the bathroom. That was the thing though, no matter how hard he beat Rhys, Rhys would never lash back out at him or cry in front of him. 

Rhys climbed into bed when he had wiped away his tears, Jack turned to face him. 

_"Oh, sorry," Rhys whispered, "I thought you had fallen asleep."_

Jack almost broke when he saw Rhys smile at him. After all that and the fool just smiled. Jack didn't say anything put pulled him into his chest and sniffed his hair as he pulled Rhys' head underneath his chin. Jack remained silent and held Rhys. 

Jack could barely recall what had happened during the other times but every time Jack stormed out and Rhys would be waiting for him. Loyal, even when he really shouldn't be. 

One night, one of those nights when Angel slept in the house, he stood in the doorway with his arms folded and watched as Rhys spoke with his daughter. Rhys was so fucking gentle, like a literal angel but for some reason it really pissed him off. After that night, Angel didn't visit the house again and Rhys never mentioned her name. 

 

Jack looked at the picture of him and Rhys and remembered that night quite clearly, they were watching a film on the TV and Rhys sneakily took a photo of them, giggling as he did so. Jack smiled at his innocence and kissed him, holding him as he did so. Jack held Rhys' metal hand and kissed it. 

_"How did you get that?"  Jack asked him._

_Rhys smiled, "Well, I don't fully remember but... I know that it hurt a lot."_

_Jack kissed the metal knuckles again, using the other hand to stroke Rhys' cheek. "I really don't deserve you."_

_Rhys furrowed his eyebrows, "What do you mean?"_

_Jack sighed, "I always put you through a lot and never really show you how much I appreciate you."_

_Rhys sneakily kissed him on his cheek, kneeling in front of him, "You don't need to tell me." Rhys softly said, "I know how much you've been through yourself, I don't want to cause you any pain."_

_Jack held the younger man's face and looked into those eyes, watching them sparkle. "You know, my wife, she never looked at me like that."_

_Rhys said nothing. He had learnt, painfully, that Jack's late wife was a topic that you just don't talk about. Jack could talk about her and you only could if Jack asked a direct question._

_"I am grateful for her obviously, she had given me Angel, I loved her and it hurts that she's gone."_

_Rhys nodded, smiling sadly._

_Jack sighed and shook his head, "No matter."_

_Rhys nodded again, he didn't dare say anything until Jack changed the subject._

_Jack gently pulled Rhys to him, letting Rhys put his head against his chest. "I have to go to a meeting tomorrow."_

_"Want me to come with you?" Rhys asked, looking up to him._

_Jack shook his head, "Nah, it's okay, it'd be really boring."_

_Rhys nodded and looked forward, watching the screen. Jack looked down to him and sadly smiled, his arm around him, pulling him closer._

 

Jack sighed and looked out of the window, and sighed. He wondered where Rhys was right now, if he was even still alive. He doubted it though, Atlas weren't known for being kind. 

He felt his heart clench once more as he fell back against the bed. God, this was the bed that he used to share with him, make love to him, hold him after- Nevermind. 

If Rhys was still alive, sometimes Jack felt tremendous guilt that the last thing he had said to him was that he was a traitor, breaking his ribs and cracking his spine. The noises were still trapped in his head. That was probably the hardest he had ever beat him. He could remember punching his lover's face over and over, looking into those bright eyes as he beat him. He didn't even care at the time but now... something didn't feel right. 

That was when he heard a beep come from his pad. He picked it up and saw Angel's name on the screen. He clicked on it and saw her face. 

"Is something wrong baby?" He asked her, wiping away his tears. 

"Erm, Dad, there's something that you should see." 

Jack raised an eyebrow but nodded, "I'll be down in a sec Angel." 

Angel nodded and her face disappeared from the screen. 

 


	3. Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fiona and Sasha infiltrate the bandit base after receiving a tip that Rhys was spotted there.

"Rhys!?" 

Fiona crashed next to Rhys' broken side and and rolled him over. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she saw Rhys' rounded stomach. "...shit..." She whispered under her breath. Sasha ran into the room, her gun smoking. 

"Fi?" Sasha sharply drew in a breath as she saw Rhys' bloodied body and her sister crouched by his side. "Crap, is he-"

"He's alive but barely." Fiona sighed, "How many are out there?" 

Sasha looked out of the doorway that Fiona had busted through, "Erm, only a couple more. I think we got most of them." 

Fiona nodded, looking down at Rhys' battered face and frowned, closing her eyes. "We have got to get him out of here." 

"How?" Sasha asked worriedly. 

Fiona glanced between Rhys and the doorway. "You grab one side and I'll grab the other. Then we bolt to the car." 

Sasha nodded, crouching beside Rhys, lifting his arm over her shoulder. Fiona lifted his chest up and put his stump over her shoulder. It was quite difficult considering Rhys had no arm but as soon as Rhys was lifted up from the ground, he cried out, groaning deep from within his chest. 

"...f-Fiona?" Rhys choked out, trying to look at Fiona with swollen eyes. 

Fiona nodded, "It's me Rhys, we're going to get you out of here." 

Sasha swallowed as she looked down to see the small bump, "Shit, Fi... I think he's-"

"I know. We need to get him to help." She hurried along the room, silently exiting the cell. Rhys only made it a couple of steps before crashing back down, groaning. 

"Come on Rhys, we've got to get you out of here." Sasha whimpered. 

"Shit!" Fiona looked down to Rhys' leg, it was bloodied and mangled, it didn't even look like a leg. Fiona swallowed, his leg would probably have to come off but she couldn't get it off right now, she didn't even know how. 

"Hey guys!" Sasha and Fiona turned their heads to see Vaughn bust through the doorway, "Shit! Rhys?! God, what happened to him?" 

Fiona shuddered, she could feel Rhys sink against her, struggling to stay on his foot. "Vaughn, can you carry him?" 

Vaughn nodded, despite his size he was quite strong and easily lifted Rhys into his arms, he frowned as he felt Rhys' head loll against his chest. "You're going to be okay Rhys, we got you know." He whispered into his friend's ear. 

Fiona nodded, after Vaughn got Rhys comfortable (at least as much as you could make someone in that condition comfortable) she turned through the doorway and covered them from the front, her sister covering from the back. 

They had to get Rhys help and they needed to get him help now. 

*

Jack slammed a table into a wall, screaming angrily at the top of his lungs, pure rage in his angered eyes. Angel shrunk back, trying to get out of his way. 

She had shown him the footage that proved Rhys' innocence and she thought it would make her father happy, oh how wrong she was. 

The video showed Hugo Vasquez putting on a device that could project someone else's face on, using Rhys computer. The reason that Jack though it was Rhys was because you needed facial recognition to access the man's computer and desktop. Vasquez used Rhys face to not only frame Rhys but to steal the money and the plans for Atlas. 

"FUCK!" Jack screamed, punching the wall, cracking the tile in two. Angel whimpered and hid beside her bed. Jack swore once more and sighed heavily, trying to compose himself. 

"WILHELM!!!" Jack screamed once again. 

Wilhelm entered the room, holding his machine gun in his hands. Jack turned to him, his body seething with anger. 

"Get Rhys back. I don't care what you have to do. Get him back but don't hurt him, or kill him. If I know that you have touched him in anyway you'll have you dick turned into a balloon animal!" Jack clenched his fists tightly by his side. 

Wilhelm nodded and exited the room in a hurried step. Jack turned to Angel and gestured for her to come to him. Angel reluctantly approached him, looking at him with watery eyes. 

"Angel, baby, thank you." Jack held her, stroking her hair. 

Angel smiled and looked up to her father's face, "It's okay Dad. He'll be okay." 

Jack sighed, "You don't know that sweetheart."

Angel nodded, he was right and she doubted that Rhys was okay. He had been gone for months, Rhys was probably in worse shape that what he left with. 

*

Fiona, Sasha and Vaughn got Rhys to Nurse Nina, she had moved herself to Pandora a little while ago. She had her own office in a highly secure city, no bandits could get inside. 

"Where is he?" She called out as she saw Fiona rush into her office. 

Fiona caught her breath and looked over to Rhys who was still in Vaughn's arms.   
Nina frowned and beckoned for them to follow her into the medical rooms. Nina had prepared a bed and Vaughn placed Rhys' battered body onto the bed. Nina shuddered at the sight of the young man, she began taking off his rags and she hurried the others out of the room. 

"I am going to be a while, so you might as well grab a drink, get cleaned off, whatever, I shall call you back when I am finished." 

Begrudgingly, the three of them left the room and Rhys. 

  
Fiona sighed into her hands as she sat down on a wall outside of the office, "Shit, do you think that he'll be okay?" 

Sasha shook her head, "No. I just wish that we found him sooner." 

"We found him though." Vaughn teared up, "That's what matters... right?" 

Fiona and Sasha glanced at each other, "Yeah... I suppose you're right." 


	4. Siren

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys has a flashback whilst he's under

_"Mommy?"_

_Rhys laid on the bed with his mother standing in front of him with a saw and a needle, "I am so sorry darling this will only hurt for a moment."_

_Rhys couldn't even comprehend what was going to happen until he saw his mother hold the saw over his arm and she must not have drugged him enough as he screamed as he felt his arm be removed from his body. Tears streamed down his face as he felt the blood gush out of the socket._

_"Why?" He whimpered._

_She brushed the hair out of his eyes and whispered into his ear, "No one can know what you are... you'll be in danger."_

_Rhys blacked out and fell back against the bed._

_*_

Nina sighed as she cleaned up the fresh amputation of his leg and cleaned the blood from every part of his body, wrapping the deep wounds and checking for any broken bones. She cleaned the wound from his shoulder, and bandaged it up. She sewed the gash on his head and disposed of his bloodied rags, he was naked on the bed and when she was done she put a hand on his stomach and her suspicions were confirmed. 

The baby would be a lot bigger, he was far along but he was malnourished, dehydrated and overall stressed. He was in a critical condition and inducing him into a coma was probably a good idea. She took a blanket and pulled it over his exhausted, abused form. 

She frowned and rubbed her head, she had seen people in such conditions but it never makes it any easier, especially when a baby was involved. 

* 

Jack was seething. 

He was perched on his desk, his gun in his hands. Maya had gone to retrieve Vasquez from whatever hole he had crawled into and Jack couldn't wait to get his hands on him. He looked at the gun in his hands and could imagine pressing the gun against that prick's head, pulling the trigger, his insides splattered against the wall and the floor. 

The door opened and Maya stepped in, forcing Vasquez to the ground, his knees crashing onto the floor. Maya stepped back, arms folding, looking disgusted at him. In truth, at first she was skeptical of Rhys. She was a tad harsh on him at first and she did feel guilty considering how pleasant and polite he was to her and to Angel. That was one of the things she had slapped him over. Yes, it was the only time she had hit him but he apologized afterwards, profusely. 

She slapped him because he was in Jack's office, talking to Angel. She hadn't seen him in there before and thought that he was an intruder. She slapped him and sent him flying into the wall. She gave him a broken nose, the blood got everywhere but for some reason he didn't even have a grudge against her. He just laughed it off and eventually she began to trust him. Then the trust was broken after the whole Atlas thing, everyone thought that Rhys had sold the plans and stole the money.... God, she felt so bad after Jack told her that Rhys hadn't done it and that it was Vasquez, she bolted out of his office and went on the hunt. 

 

Jack stepped forward with a menacing stare. He could feel the fear emit from Vasquez, he grabbed his hair and pulled it up, looking dead into his eyes. 

"Why?" He asked maliciously. 

Vasquez laughed under his breath, "You know Jack, I really thought that you'd find out. Not about the money of course but what about Rhys is." 

Jack tightened his grip. "What? What the fuck are you on about?" 

Vasquez didn't answer. Jack punched him in the face. 

"Alright, alright, he's a Siren."

"Bullshit." Jack laughed. "He's really not."

"How would you know?" Vasquez whispered. "Read the file then you'll find out." 

Jack looked at him, he kicked him in the ribs and sent him into the floor, he grabbed the gun and shot him in the head. He wanted to have the man to suffer a slow and painful death but he got... distracted. He looked to Maya and passed her his gun. 

"Is it true?" He asked. "Is Rhys a Siren?" 

Maya shrugged, "I don't know. I mean, has he ever shown his powers? He hasn't got the tattoo... I don't- I don't know Jack." 

Jack sighed and walked back to the desk, shoving the body with his foot. He opened the computer and typed in Rhys' name, looking for his file. He never bothered looking at Rhys before now but his curiosity was sparked. 

Pictures of Rhys when he was born, his arm with those familiar purple markings on his skin. Shit, Rhys was a Siren the entire time and he never even knew it and for some odd reason Jack had a feeling that Rhys didn't know about it either. Shit! 

"We need to find him." Jack whispered. 

Maya heard him and stepped towards his desk, nervously but she didn't show that. "Wilhelm thinks that Rhys is on Pandora." 

"Go." 

"Pardon?" Maya asked. 

Jack looked up from the screen. "Go down there and find him for me. I think that Wilhelm is the last person we should send after him." 

"You already have though." 

Jack nodded. "I know that but go down. Once you find him call me." 

Maya nodded and turned out of the door, spitting at the corpse as she exited the room. Jack, meanwhile, stared at the screen, at Rhys' face. His poor, poor Rhys. God, he remembered the first day he saw him, he was wandering around Helios, making sure everything was in order and then he saw him. 

That tall, lanky brunette talking to that short twerp, his eyes were sparkling and he had such a smooth way of talking and didn't look half-bad. He watched him from the balcony, noticed that he had one of the Hyperion prosthetic, one of those ECHO-eyes. God, he looked a bit nerdy but damn... he looked fine. He worked as a low-level technician and Jack kind of wanted to see what this kid could do so he made him his PA just a week after talking to him. 

...was Rhys really a Siren? 

Maybe he did know, maybe he didn't. If Rhys did know Jack could understand why he didn't tell him. Jack wasn't known to treat Sirens particularly well, even his own daughter. Then, if Rhys didn't know he would want to know why.

As Jack looked further into the files, he learnt that Rhys mother was in a prison and that his dad was dead. He didn't have any siblings or any other relatives for that matter. He didn't have any past romantic entanglements... wow, Jack was Rhys' first partner and this was how he treated him... No wonder Rhys kept coming right on back, poor fool probably didn't know how relationships really worked. 

Jack sighed and put his head into his hands, he shuddered at the thought of Rhys... what had happened to him... if he was even still alive... He closed his eyes for a moment and breathed deeply through his nose. He hoped that Rhys was okay, he needed a proper apology given to him and Jack really didn't know what he was going to say. All he wanted to do was hold him, kiss him and tell him just how much that he loved him. 

 

God, what was he going to do?  


	5. Incubation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fiona looks into Rhys through the window and her heart clenches... then she runs into a Siren

Sasha and Vaughn left to go a recover from that rescue mission but Fiona couldn't bring herself to relax. How could she when Rhys was just lying there? Looking through the window to Nina's office, her heart clenched as she saw Rhys' frail form. He was lying there, with no arm, no leg, broken bones, cuts, grazes... and he was pregnant. She couldn't quite believe it. 

7 months along too. 

Jesus, Fiona rubbed her head. She didn't know what to really think about it all. Rhys hadn't even been awake since they found him. He was weak, he was frail and Nina didn't know if he would make it. Fiona knew though, she knew that Rhys would make it... he was stronger than many gave him credit for. 

"You!"   
Fiona turned around to see a blue haired woman walking to her. 

"Are you Fiona?" The woman asked. 

Fiona nodded, "Yeah, can I help you?" 

The woman shook her head, "No but I am really sorry about this." 

Fiona furrowed her eyebrows then felt a sharp pain in her neck. She turned her head to find herself being stabbed with a small needle.

"Fuck's sake" She managed to mutter before she fell to the ground, the woman stood in front of her as Fiona's vision blurred and swarmed with darkness. 

The last thing she could hear before she completely blacked out was 'We have him. Coming up now.'

What? 

*  
Jack was in his office, overlooking Pandora when he got the call from Maya. 

"What?" 

_"We have him. Coming up now."_

Jack felt his heart implode as he heard her voice, "Is he-"

"He's alive." 

Jack sighed in relief. "I'll call down to the med-bay. Take him there when you arrive." 

"Yes sir." 

Jack put down the pad and slumped in his chair. He thought he would feel better knowing that Rhys was live but in truth, he was feeling worse than he was before. He still had to go and see Rhys, see the damage that he had caused. 

He sighed and got out of his chair, looking out of the window, he saw Maya's ship fly back up towards the base. He sighed and retreated down the stairs, he wanted to go and be in the med-bay as soon as Rhys was taken there. 

*

Fiona woke up in Maya's ship, Nina was looking at her. 

"Where are we?" Fiona asked, rubbing her eyes. 

Nina shrugged, "I think that we are going to the Hyperion base." 

"What?" Fiona burst, sitting up. "Why?" 

"Stupid Siren bitch knocked us out." Nina groaned, rubbing the back of her head. 

Fiona glanced around and saw Rhys inside of a glass bed. She silently got to her feet and walked over to it, placing her hands on the glass, she looked into the tube and saw Rhys' pale face. 

"Hey, I'd sit down if I were you." Maya called out from the cockpit. 

Fiona gasped and turned to face her. "Who are you?" 

"Name's Maya now sit your ass down." Maya snapped at her. 

"Not until you tell me why you took me." 

"I don't know." Maya confessed. "You were just there and I panicked." 

Fiona scoffed and sat herself down beside Nina. Rhys hadn't woken up and Maya didn't turn to face her. Fiona wasn't scared of her but she was curious. Who was this woman? Was she a Siren? She looked like one. Huh, she had never seen one up close. 

*

Jack stood at the far end of the med-bay as Maya pulled in the glass tube that Rhys was lying inside of. He could see his boyfriend lying there, pale and battered. He almost threw up at the sight. Maya was followed by two... Pandorans? 

Maya saluted him but Fiona ran at him, screaming as she did so. 

Jack didn't shoot her, he wanted to know why this woman was so pissed. Then he could recognize her, she was one of Rhys' friends. 

He caught her arm as she tried to hit him. "You must be Fiona, right?"

"You know me?" 

Jack nodded, "Heard of you, yes." 

Fiona scoffed, "Well then, you know that you should be shitting yourself right now." 

"I doubt that." Jack spat at her. 

Fiona glared at him, "How dare you treat him like this?" 

Jack's eyes glazed over and he dropped her arm. She stood there, breathing heavily, and angrily too he might add. 

"I know." He whispered. "I know. Why do you think I've brought him here instead of your shitty planet?" 

"Why did you send him away the first time?" She snapped at him. 

Jack sighed, he turned away from here and looked to the floor, "I made a mistake. I know that. A really terrible mistake and as usual Rhys paid the price." 

"You best hope nothing happens to that baby." Fiona menacingly whispered at him, spitting at him for good measure. 

Jack spun around to face her, his face full of confusion. "Sorry, could you repeat that? Baby? Whose?" 

"Yours you dick. Rhys is about 7 months along, he's only been gone for 6." She explained in a venomous tongue. "He's not disloyal and he would never sleep around. That makes the baby yours."

Jack felt his knees shake and he sat down on a bench, his head in his hands. "You're not joking." 

"No." Fiona muttered. "I'm not." 

Jack lowered his gaze and looked at his hands. The same hands that were used to beat his lover, he felt his heart drop in his stomach. Fiona watched him with disgust for a few moments, then she could see how guilty he was. That didn't excuse his behavior. She just wished that Rhys would dump the prick and leave but he never did. 

Fiona looked into his eyes and cocked her gun. Jack looked up and into the barrel. 

"You ever touch him like that again and I'm going to put you in a place where the sun don't shine." 

Jack nodded, looking away. He prayed that Rhys and the unexpected child were okay. 


	6. Comatose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack sees Rhys after 6 months and sees just how much he means to him

Jack walked into the medical room they had put Rhys inside of, the nurses had finished cleaning him and redoing his bandages. All the while, Rhys hadn't even moved, hadn't even moved a muscle. Jack stood at the foot of the bed and could see the outline of a bump that looked too small. Jack sighed and put his head in his hands. Rhys' face was black, blue and purple but the red was faded and dry. 

Jack could see that the arm was gone, an image of him pulling it off and throwing it like it was nothing. He could also see the stump underneath the thin sheet that was draped over him. 

"Shit..." Jack whispered as he perched himself on the bed, sitting on the edge he took a hold of Rhys' cold hand. If the EKG monitor wasn't beeping he would have thought that Rhys was dead. He looked it. Pale, battered and abused. God, how was he still breathing? Begrudgingly, Jack laid the other hand on Rhys' stomach. He could feel the baby move around in there which brought him to the question if the baby was actually okay. He shook his head, he truly had fucked up, really badly this time. 

It actually scared him of how silent Rhys was, how pale he was. He didn't want to let go of him, and so he didn't. Jack held onto Rhys' hand and prayed that he would wake up soon.

*

_"Jack?"_

_Rhys turned over in bed and didn't see Jack anywhere. He swung his legs over the side and wandered out of their bedroom to find Jack looking out of the window with his arms crossed over his chest. His mask was on the table so Rhys swallowed hard and turned back around to go into bed._  

_"Where are you going?" Jack asked quietly._

_Rhys stopped in his path and smiled, "I- Did you want to be alone?"_

_Jack shook his head, "No. Come here."_

_Rhys noted on how soft Jack was being. This could be a trap but it was best to go to him anyway. "Are you okay?"_

_Jack shook his head. "Why do you love me?" He asked, putting his hand on the window._

_Rhys stepped forward, "I don't know, there's just something about you."_

_"Something about me huh?" Jack didn't turn around._

_"Yeah." Rhys admitted. "I just feel like I can be myself around you."_

_"Even when I hit you?"_

_Rhys stammered, "I-I don't love that but i-if that's what you need-"_

_Jack turned around and Rhys gulped._

_Rhys had never seen Jack without his mask before and it was... just him._

_"Well?" Jack snapped._

_Rhys smiled and took a step forward, he put a hand to Jack's face and kissed his cheek. Jack was taken back and looked at Rhys. Rhys shrugged._

_"What? It's just you." Rhys whispered to him, smiling softly, putting his arms around his neck._

_Jack closed his eyes and breathed in his scent. God, he really didn't deserve him. "So, you love me even though I look like a burnt dick?"_

_Rhys nodded, "Yes." He hummed. "But if it makes you feel better, you don't look like a burnt dick."_

_Jack chuckled and held Rhys. He took one last look out of the window and hoisted Rhys into his arms. "Bedtime I think."_

_Rhys giggled and put his head on Jack's shoulder._

 

_Yes, there were bad days but they weren't all bad. Some days were better than others._

_*_

Jack stayed by Rhys' side for hours, not even becoming bored after staring at his face, he just wanted him to wake up but he didn't even know if that was going to happen any time soon. 

*

_Rhys sat at his desk, looking up he saw Jack perched on it, looking into his eyes._

_"So, Rhysie babes, I've finished all of my meetings today..." Jack winked at him._

_"Well... I could...finish the rest of this tomorrow." Rhys playfully smirked at him. Jack sighed and climbed onto the desk, pulling Rhys over him, pulling at his shirt to will it off, biting his neck tenderly. Rhys giggled and pulled at Jack's jacket, kissing him on his cheek as he did so._

_Jack took out a key and pressed it, blocking out all the windows and locking the doors. A trick he had learnt a while ago, anything to stop people from intruding on 'sexy times'_

_*_

"Sir?"   
Jack turned his head to see a nurse standing there. He could see that she was nervous as hell but considering she was helping to keep Rhys and their baby alive, he would go easy on her. 

"Yeah?" 

She held her clipboard in hand, "I just need to check the baby, with the ultrasound?" 

He nodded and stood up from the bed and leant against the wall. He watched as the young girl brought in the machine and plugged into the wall, she pulled up Rhys' white hospital gown and rubbed the gel onto his skin. She took the wand and rubbed it along Rhys' stomach. Jack watched as the baby came up on the screen and something tore his heart. Considering that Rhys was pregnant when he almost killed him before shipping him off to fuck knows where... how was the baby not dead... or even hurt? 

Jack supposed that he should be thankful, and he was but how was he going to talk to Rhys. Rhys would probably never want to see him again and frankly Jack could not blame him. If it was him, he would've pulled the trigger and splattered the prick's brains... but this was Rhys and it was weird. Sometimes he was predicatble but there were the odd occasions when Rhys would surprise the hell out of him and God it only made him love he man so much more. 

Seeing his baby on the ultrasound screen put things into perspective. He was going to be a father... all over again. 


	7. Firsts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A month passes and Rhys finally wakes up

_The first time Jack really lost it with Rhys sent Rhys to medical. Rhys didn't then see Jack for the rest of the week. He didn't dare go back to the apartment, nurses told him to stay in the med-bay and so he did._

_When Rhys finally did go back to the penthouse, he simply went to the sofa and fell asleep. It was about 2 in the morning so Jack would probably be asleep, Rhys cried himself to sleep that night. He didn't even notice that Jack was watching him through the darkened doorway. Jack sighed silently to himself and went back into the bedroom. He sat on the bed and looked at the picture of his daughter, the one with his wife on._

_Jack kept that picture tucked away into a box, hidden away from sight. As he looked around the room, he noticed that compared to his things, Rhys had barely nothing. He had a few clothes in the wardrobe but that was about it really but never once did Rhys complain, he never asked for much, he was never selfish._

_He was though._

_God, Jack was so selfish compared to Rhys._

_There were so many things that he told Rhys he could or could not do, he mostly said it with his fists, or a harsh slap to his face._

_He only let Rhys see Angel a few times. The first time was nice, Rhys talked to Angel like she was a little princess. Jack appreciated it. The last time however... He got Angel back downstairs on her private floor. The he turned on Rhys, slammed him against the wall, slapped him in the face. Rhys didn't even flinch. Like always he left and left Rhys to clean up the mess. Rhys almost walked out that day but with a few sweet words Rhys was back in his arms._

_Because he was a dick who manipulated the man he loved._

_*_

Jack had gone to see Rhys every day and the child inside grew more every day. He sent those two Pandorans back down and left Rhys in the comfort of a private room in the med-bay. He had an arm and a leg made for Rhys when he woke up but it had been a month and Rhys was still not awake. 

He was sitting in his office as usual that day. He looked out the window, deep in contemplation. 

"Dad?" 

Jack didn't turn around but he could see Angel's reflection. He gestured for her to come by his side. She walked on over and stood by his side, looking into his eyes. 

Jack looked to his teenage daughter and took her hand, "I'm worried." 

"About Rhys?" She asked, even though she knew the answer. 

Jack let go of her hand and stood to his feet. "I don't know what to do." 

"Please don't get angry for me saying this Dad but I don't think this is one of those things that can be fixed." Angel said, lowering her eyes. 

Jack nodded, he didn't even feel angry. He was just full of guilt and shame. 

 

A beep came from his desk, Jack turned around and pressed the intercom. 

"What?" 

"He's awake Sir." Maya's voice came through. 

Jack didn't even react. His jaw dropped and he bolted for the lift. Angel watched him and bit his lip, she had no idea how the next part was going to play out. 

*

In the med-bay, Rhys blinked and was blinded by the light. He opened his eyes and saw that he was in the med-bay... on Helios? What? How did he get here? He tried to sit up but he felt a pair of hands push him back down. He looked up and his eyes widened to see Maya looking up at him. He said nothing but began to nervously tremble. 

"Don't get up." Maya softly told him. 

Rhys fell back against the pile of cushions but didn't take his eyes off her. 

"How do you feel?" She asked him, arms folded as she stood beside the bed. 

He nodded. Clearing his throat, "Sore." He looked down to his stomach and laid a hand on it. 

Maya was confused, "Did you know that you were pregnant?" 

Rhys shook his head. 

Maya frowned and sat on the seat next to the wall, "I'm sorry." 

Rhys glanced over to her. 

Maya elaborated, "I'm sorry for how I treated you. I shouldn't have been like that to you." 

Rhys nodded and slumped further into the pillows. He felt a tingling sensation in his shoulder stump and he rubbed his eyes. 

 

"Rhys?" 

 

Rhys turned his head to look at Jack who was breathing heavily in the doorway. Rhys stared at him and Jack's eyes widened as Rhys' eyes turned purple... and boy he looked pissed. 


	8. Rhack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Rhys talk. Rhys finds out he's a Siren

Rhys folded his arms and looked at Jack with purple eyes. Jack swallowed and perched himself on the bed. Rhys didn't say anything but bit his lips, closing his eyes, he tilted his head away from Jack. He didn't want to talk to Jack right then, still... that didn't stop Jack from opening his mouth. 

"Rhys?" Jack put a hand on the bed. "I cannot- No words could describe how sorry I am." 

Rhys tried to ignore him. 

"You don't deserve any of this, nothing I did was ever deserved. I'm so sorry, Rhys. I truly am." Jack sighed, putting a hand on his head, "Please, please say something." 

"What do you want me to say?" Rhys asked, opening his eyes but still looking away. 

Jack didn't know. He really didn't know but he knew that he had to defuse the situation. 

"I- You don't have any idea what they did to me. I was beaten even though they knew I was pregnant. They waterboarded me. They whipped me. Hit me, slapped me, kicked me... hell, they even raped me." Tears pricked his eyes, Rhys gasped, his breath becoming harder to control, his eyes... burned, the purple shade glowing brighter. 

"Rhys, do you know what you are?" 

"Yeah." Rhys scoffed. "I do." He turned his head to look at Jack in the eyes. "I'm a Siren. Do you want me to tell you how I know?" 

Jack swallowed but nodded. 

"Because they put eridium into me, sometimes for hours... just to see what I could do." Rhys rubbed his stomach. "Almost killed me but something stopped me from crossing the border... if you catch my drift. I remember my mother chopping my arm off... said it was to protect me. No one would be able to tell if I was a Siren or some shit." 

Jack frowned as Rhys curled into himself. 

"I never hurt you but you always hurt me." Rhys whimpered, his bottom lip quivering. "It just felt like I was nothing more than a piece of shit... it felt like you didn't care about me and I was just stupid to think that... you did." 

Jack put a hand on Rhys arm and winced as Rhys flinched, the man closed his eyes for a moment. 

"Rhys, I do love you, I really do. I don't expect you to forgive me because what I did to you- how I treated you... it's unforgivable." 

Rhys shook his head, "You're just saying that." 

Jack stroked his arm, "I'm not. Over the past few months I saw you for who you truly are. A kind, generous person who treats people with love and respect even when they don't deserve it. I don't understand how you ever loved me but damn it... I've never met anyone quite like you." 

"It's because you own me." Rhys whispered, lowering his gaze. 

"What?" Jack asked softly in bewilderment. 

"I was born on Helios. My mother... well she created me obviously but with added genetics. I'm not even fully human." Rhys confessed. "I learnt that too, when I was... away." 

"I don't own you Rhys." Jack whispered. "I never will. You are your own person and God, I love you... and our child," he placed a hand on Rhys' stomach, "so much. I know it's going to be a while but I promise that I will change. Be the man who you deserve." 

Rhys nodded, "If you don't then, for the baby's sake, I'll leave." 

Jack agreed. "I won't like that but I will understand that." 

Rhys weakly smiled, "Thanks." 

*

Rhys turned to his side and curled around his bump as he slept in the med-bay that night. Since they were in space, it was always impossible to tell what kind of day it was. He rubbed his stomach and tried to sleep. He could see Maya out of the corner of his eye. She was standing by the doorway, turned away and with a gun in her eyes, keeping guard. 

Rhys didn't have a clue what to do but he winced as the baby kicked him hard. He groaned slightly and that cause Maya to turn around, "You okay." 

Rhys nodded although he didn't quite know if he was okay. "I'm fine." 

Maya reluctantly believed him, then turned back around. Jack had gone back to his apartment, trying to give Rhys some space. 

 

Maybe that wasn't the greatest idea. 


	9. Maya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya contemplates the rest of the plan that she was supposed to follow

As Maya watched Rhys toss around in his restless sleep, she contemplated what to do. The thing was, she didn't actually work for Handsome Jack. She was a double agent. Jack tells her to spy on the Crimson Raiders but the Crimson Raiders know this so therefore tell her to spy on Hyperion. The Crimson Raiders knew Rhys' true nature and that it is in his mindset to follow Jack and the bastard's every whim. 

However, as Maya watched Rhys and Jack talk she knew that she had to move forward with the plan, even though she wasn't supposed to. 

She stood in the doorway, keeping guard. In truth, she didn't want to slap Rhys when she first met him but to keep up her facade she did it. Jack believed that she wholly worked for him and no one else but she was a Siren and so was Rhys. She felt obligated to help him, and the child that he was carrying even though it was Jack's. That was one of the reasons why she looked after Angel, the girl was a Siren just like her. She could remember being kept captive by those priests so she truly felt awful about not helping her. 

She could see and hear Rhys groan and curl into himself. She approached his side and checked his vitals, sighing into her hand she knew that they were running out of time. She needed to get Rhys out of here, preferably before the baby came. 

Taking out her communicator, she let Lilith know that they were running out of time. 

She turned back to Rhys and bit her lip, she didn't have a clue what to do. 

*

Rhys curled further into himself and opened his eyes, gasping in pain. He saw Maya crouch down, "Are you okay?" She asked. 

He shook his head, "No, I..." He cut himself off and quietly groaned, trying to be quiet. 

"Look Rhys, I want to help you. Get you out of here." She whispered to him. 

Rhys looked into her eyes, "Why?" He asked. "What do you mean?" 

"We both know that Jack isn't going to change, he's incapable of it." Maya held his hand. "I want to get you away from here but I don't know how." 

Rhys nodded, "Jack's going to know if I go missing." 

"Yeah, I know. I'm going to try and get someone to meet us on Pandora." Maya whispered into his ear, trying to make sure no one but Rhys heard her. "I'm going to steal a ship and get you out of here." 

"What about Jack?" He whispered, gritting his teeth. 

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Maya confessed, she didn't have much of a plan but if they didn't get out of there now, she doubted that they ever would. 

Glancing over to the side she saw one of those glass cylinders, the kind that she used to transport Rhys before. There was a button that could black out the glass, hide Rhys from sight. 

"I have an idea but you need to trust me." 

Rhys nodded. In truth, he knew that Maya was right. Now that Jack knew he was a Siren, he didn't know what Jack would do to him. Pour Eridium down him and use him to charge that stupid vault key perhaps. He knew that his baby was in danger being on this infernal base. He agreed to her demands. 

"Okay," Maya sighed. "I'm going to put you into one of those and get you out of here. I have some people on the surface, they're going to help you and the baby." 

"How did you know I was pregnant though?" 

"I didn't that's true but the people who I _actually_ work with did. I don't really work for Jack. I was tasked with keeping an eye on you. I didn't know that you were a Siren but they did. They want to help you Rhys and stop Jack." She whispered the explanation to him, remained crouched on his side. 

"Okay. Okay, I'll get in, but I can't walk." 

"That's okay." Maya told him gently, "We better be quick though." 

*

Once Rhys had been put into the glass cylinder, Maya pushed him through the med-bay and to the ship she used before. Surprisingly, she managed to fool everyone they came across. She made it to the landing pad where the ships were kept and that was when shit hit the fan, she could hear the sound of a gun being charged, turning around she saw Jack standing there. 

"Hello Maya." Jack growled to her. "Where do you think you're going?" 

"Well, I was needed elsewhere so I-"

"Cut the bullshit." He snapped at her. 

Maya sighed, dropping the facade she had kept up for months, "You caught me. What can I say?" 

Jack held the gun out, aiming it at her face. He glanced over to the blacked out glass, he knew that Rhys was inside of it. "And where the hell do you think you're taking him?" 

"Away from you Jack." Maya told him. 

Jack stepped forward, "Don't test me bitch."

Maya held her hand out, her power surging within her. "Try me." 

Jack shot the gun, Maya dodged it easily she kicked him in the legs, sending him to the floor, she crouched down and punched him in the head. It wouldn't kill him but it would stop him for the time being. She needed time, as much as she could get. Maya kicked him in the ribs and spat at him, then she returned to the cylinder and pushed it onto her ship. After closing the ship door, she opened the door and let Rhys out. She helped him into the passenger seat, "How do you feel?" She asked. 

Rhys moaned, rubbing his stomach, "I think I had a couple of contractions, I can't tell though." 

Maya nodded, "Well, just hang on okay, I'm going to get us out of here." 


	10. Rescued

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya gets Rhys to the Crimson Raiders on Pandora, just in time too

The ship landed on the small landing pad in Sanctuary, two Crimson Raiders were waiting at the bottom as Maya opened the door to the ship, helping Rhys limp down it. 

"Axton!" Maya shouted down the ramp. 

One of the Raiders, who had a large gun on his back, ran over and took Rhys' other side.   
"We've got to get him help." Maya informed the Raider, who was named Axton. 

Rhys groaned and fell to his knees, breathing heavily. Maya tried to get him up but Rhys found it harder to walk, especially with just one leg and the fact he was in labor. 

"Zed and Nina are waiting for us at HQ." Axton told Maya with his gruff voice. He looked at Rhys and simply lifted him into his arms. Rhys, with how exhausted he was, passed out in Axton's arms. 

"Let's go." Maya shouted as she started to run to the HQ followed by Axton and the other raider. 

*

Axton laid Rhys on the bed and saw how much pain the man was in despite his unconscious state. He left the medical room with Maya, leaving Rhys to get checked over by Zed and Nina. 

"God, how did you get him out of there?" Axton asked Maya, taking a seat on the wall outside Zed's office. 

Maya sighed and sat beside him, "Well, I had to knock out Jack. Punched him in the head." 

"Didn't kill him huh?" 

Maya shook her head, "No, wish I did though." 

Axton sighed and took his gun, grabbing a cloth he began to clean it, "Probably going to kill the bastard myself." 

"Yeah, it'd be nice." Maya closed her eyes, sighing, "Maybe everything will mellow done once he's dead."

"What a world that would be." Axton chuckled under his breath. 

Maya glanced over her shoulder, into the med room. "We have to protect that child." 

"We will." Axton muttered. 

*

Rhys snapped his eyes open, curling over himself. He felt a hand on his shoulder, he looked up and saw Nina. 

"Breathe through it." She told him. 

Rhys nodded and breathed through the contraction, he could feel them getting worse. He gripped the sheets below him with his hand, and screwed his eyes shut. "God." He whimpered. 

"Do you feel the need to push?" Nina asked. 

Rhys shook his head, "No." 

Nina nodded, patting his back as he bent forward. "I'm going to have to check how far along you are."

He nodded, separating his legs, she pushed his medical gown over his knees and inserted her gloved fingers into him, "You're almost there lad, just a couple more centimeters to go." 

Rhys moaned, trying to distract himself. His amputated limps were sore and so was his stomach, it hurt to touch, he could feel the baby move around inside. He groaned in pain and gritted his teeth together. 

"Hey Rhys," Rhys turned his head to see Fiona standing in the doorway. 

"Fiona?" He choked out. 

Fiona nodded and walked over to him and taking his hand, "Thank God you're okay." She whispered to him, wiping the hair out of his eyes. "I'm so sorry." 

"It wasn't your fault." 

"She's right." Maya said, appearing in the doorway, "I'm sorry 'bout knocking you out." 

"It's fine." Fiona said, "However, I'm very confused. Why did you take Rhys only to bring him back?" 

Maya sighed, folding her arms, "Yeah... I don't really know, makes no sense I know that. Sorry Fiona, and I'm sorry Rhys." 

"It's okay." Rhys whimpered. "You only did what you thought was right."

Maya smiled at him, "Nothing's going to happen now, you're safe." 

"We both know that's not true." Rhys sighed. "He'll find us. He always does." 

"Well..." Fiona smiled to him, "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." 

Rhys nodded, slumping into the cushions after a particularly painful contraction, "Please don't leave." He begged to Fiona. Fiona smiled, taking a seat on the bed. 

"I won't." She whispered. "I promise." 

Rhys groaned, another contraction slamming into him, he gasped then, looking down. "I think my water broke." His voice broke as he said it. 

"Nina!" Fiona shouted. 

 

Nina hurried back in with a pile of towels under her arm. She placed them to the side and pulled over the blanket. "Right, let's get you out of the wet clothes, we still have time. Though the contractions will be quicker and my painful by now."

Rhys groaned but nodded, tightening his grip on Fiona's hand, willing for the baby to come quicker. 


	11. Pushing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys reaches the final stages of labour

Fiona refused to leave Rhys' side as he reached the pushing stage.  

"Fiona," He choked out, "I'm scared."

Fiona felt her heart snap in two as he held his hand and used her other hand to wipe his sweaty forehead. "You're going to be okay." 

Rhys groaned and slammed his head into the pillow, her jaw tightening. "Fuck..." He swore under his breath as he began to push. 

Nina stayed at the bottom end, she had to use stirrups to keep Rhys' legs separated because of his leg being cut in half, which was still bandaged. 

"You're doing well, lad." She soothed, rubbing his thigh as he pushed the head out.

Rhys' energy was declining, Fiona noticed this, she kept a firm hold of his hand, could feel him tense up and almost sobbed at the state of him. She rubbed his knuckles and brushed his head back. 

"I can't do this." Rhys whispered, shaking his head. 

"Yes you can, Rhys!" Fiona encouraged him further. Rhys arched his back against the bed and pushed, screaming as he did so. 

*

"You see that?" Axton pointed in the sky to Maya. 

Maya looked closer and gulped, "Shit, what do we do?" 

"Protect Rhys and the baby." He told her, "We have to protect them at all costs, Jack can't get to them." 

Maya nodded, grabbing her gun from her back. 

*

"AHHHHH!" Rhys screamed as the widest part of the head came out of him. He sobbed against the pillows, tears streaming down his bruised face. "God..." 

"Come on Rhys!" Fiona held his hand tighter, "You're doing it." 

Nina nodded, supporting the head as it came out. "Just a couple more lad." 

Rhys nodded, he sat himself up and gritted his teeth as he pushed the baby out. 

Nina got a hold of the baby, wrapping the towel around it as she pulled the baby the rest of the way out. Rhys sagged against the pillow, gasping as the pain and pressure left him. 

Fiona rubbed his forehead and smiled as the baby cried in Nina's arms. He turned back to Rhys and paled as she saw the amount of blood that was coming out of his legs. 

"Shit." 


	12. Not What You Think

Sasha and Vaughn sat outside of Nina's office in silence, neither knew what to say and so they stayed silent. They flinched whenever they heard Rhys' pained screams. Vaughn, at one point, covered his ears. He couldn't bear to hear his best friend is such agony. Sasha turned her head away, she could hear Axton and Maya talk and their feet could be hear, hurrying along the stone floor but she couldn't get her mind away from Rhys. She hoped that he was okay but going from the sound of it... she highly doubted that. 

"Fiona?" Vaughn called out. 

Sasha's head shot up and she saw Fiona walk out of the room, he face was cold, empty even. 

"Fiona?" Sasha asked too, "What's wrong?" 

Fiona looked up with watery eyes. "I-" She cut herself off and lowered herself onto the seat. "He's gone." 

"What?" Sasha gasped. 

Vaughn shook his head, "What do you mean? Fiona? What do you mean, he's gone?" 

Fiona closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling. "He was bleeding- It was getting everywhere... he stopped breathing." 

"Maybe Nina will heal him?" Vaughn suggested worriedly. 

Fiona shook her head. 

Sasha's hands flew up to her mouth and tears began to pour from her eyes, "Oh God... it can't be true." 

Vaughn sighed and sat down beside Fiona, his hands crawled to his mouth, closing his eyes to ease the pain. "What about the baby?" 

"He's fine." Fiona choked out. 

"It's a boy?" Vaughn asked. 

Fiona nodded, "10 fingers, 10 toes, good set of lungs... he's okay." 

"What are we going to do?" 

Fiona looked up, her eyes dark with unspoken rage. "I'll tell you what we're going to do."

Sasha wiped her tears away and both her and Vaughn had their complete attention on Fiona. 

Fiona cleared her throat and climbed to her feet, "We're going to kill that son of a bitch." 

*

Dozens of Loader Bots and Hyperion soldiers kept the Crimson Raiders and the Vault Hunter's busy down in the main plaza of Sanctuary. Fiona, Sasha and Vaughn joined the fight as they grabbed guns and joined Axton and Maya's sides. Jack could not be found but that was because he had managed to hide and lurk through the streets without being detected. He only had one thing on his mind and that was getting Rhys back. 

He found his way to Nina's office, his spies confirmed that his Rhys was there. Jack kept his fear in his pocket and slipped inside of the medical room, there was a strong scent of blood as he walked inside and his mouth dropped slightly when he heard that familiar sound of a baby crying. He hadn't heard that noise in a very long time. He stepped inside and saw that no one else was inside, his eyes scanned the room to reveal a bassinet on the far end, next to a desk. He walked up to it and saw a wriggling newborn baby lying on the sheets, tucked inside a blue blanket. 

"Huh." Jack smirked as the baby cooed in its sleep. 

If you hadn't guessed by now, Jack wasn't the most nurturing person in the world or at least that was what everyone else had perceived. He wasn't the best father but he adored his daughter. He and Angel always used to be close, almost inseparable during Angel's younger years. He used his finger to stroke the baby's chubby cheek and a smile grew on his face. Not a menacing smile but a soft and gentle one. He turned his head to the side to find an open doorway. He left the baby's side for a moment to venture inside the next room and that was when his heart dropped. 

On the bed in the next room, the bloodied bed, laid a body with a white sheet covering it but he already had his assumptions as to who it was. Hesitantly, Jack approached the bed and lifted his shaking hands to removed the sheet. He grabbed a hold of it and pulled it away. 

"No..." Jack's heart broke slightly as Rhys' cold body was revealed to him. He took the sheet off and discarded it to the side. He put his hand on Rhys' cheek and for once, he didn't have the words for what he was going to say. It was silent apart from the sounds of fighting outside in the streets of Sanctuary. 

"What did I do?" Jack whispered to himself, his hand on Rhys' face, his eyes screwed closed. 

"Yeah." 

Jack's eyes snapped open to find Rhys staring up at him with bright blue eyes. 

"Rhys?" 

Rhys' face was dark and cold. He smacked Jack's hand away and his eyes glowed in the shades of purple and blue. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

With some power that he didn't even know that he had, Rhys used his mind to slam Jack into the wall behind them. Rhys, with all the strength that he had left, sat up and stared at Jack with purple eyes. 

"Ooh, Jack... why so blue?" 


	13. OH How the Turn Tables

Jack was frozen against the wall and saw that the person in front of him wasn't the Rhys that he knew all those months ago, the one that he had beaten to the ground and crushed like an ant under his boot. 

Rhys looked at Jack with such rage within his eyes, such torment and anguish that it was amazing to look upon. Rhys gasped and the link within his mind snapped. The purple drained from his eyes and tears leaked out of them. 

"I'm sorry." Rhys whispered, leaning back against the bed. 

Jack looked up from his place on the floor, he looked up to Rhys and noticed how exhausted that he was. No words were released from his mouth but he slowly climbed to his feet. Rhys leant back against the pillows behind them, breathed out slowly and his eyes glazed over. 

Rhys' chest heaved as he quietly sobbed, he used his only hand to cover his bruised face and his tears. "I'm sorry Jack." 

Jack shook his head, he walked forward though with some reluctance. He sat beside the bed, the faint sound of fighting reaching his ears. He looked at Rhys' form and sighed at the realization that the person in front of him was not really Rhys. The Rhys that he fell in love with was gone and it was Jack's own doing. He had broken the man that he loved merely through a misunderstanding. Yes, Vasquez was dead but the damage had already been done and Angel was right... this was one of those things that could not be fixed. 

Jack placed his hand on Rhys' face, on top of the younger man's hand. "Rhys, I know that I said it before but..." 

"I know." Rhys whispered. 

Jack's eyes widened slightly. 

"I want to forgive you I really do." Rhys stuttered. "I still love you, I don't even know why. No one knows why! All I know is that I shouldn't." 

"You shouldn't." Jack agreed. 

There was silence, save for the noise outside. Jack cleared his throat. "He's beautiful." 

Rhys' smiled a little, "It's a boy?" 

Jack nodded, "He's beautiful, Rhys. He's... I can't explain it but I- I haven't felt that way about someone in such a long time. I felt it when Angel was born... and when I met you." 

"I don't know how I feel any more." Rhys closed his eyes and breathed heavily. "I don't know... I don't know." 

Jack kept his eyes on Rhys but a single tear fell down his face. "I don't want to hurt you. I won't hurt you any more and that is a promise." Jack kissed Rhys' hand and folded his own hand over the top. "I swear to you... I will never hurt you and no one will ever hurt you again for as long as we both shall live." 

Rhys opened his eyes and Jack gulped at the bright, purple glow, "I can't forget what happened, and I don't know if I can forgive you for that but I'm willing to give you a chance." 

"You shouldn't." 

Rhys smiled softly, "I know but since when have I ever done what you say." 

"Hmm, now that's a hard one." 

A baby's cry could be heard from the opposite room, Jack looked to Rhys, "Do you want me to get him?" 

Rhys nodded and watched as Jack left his side. It was in that brief pause that he had the chance to do something. He could reach for the gun that Maya had placed underneath his pillow or use his new found powers. 

"Fuck." He whispered under his breath as he raked his brain for the right solution. He knew that there was a slim chance that Jack would not change but he wanted to give him one last chance even though it was completely stupid. He threw the cover off of himself and sat up on the side of the bed. He watched his leg dangle, at least what was left of it and deep within his head he imagined it was whole again, the limb had regrown and as his eyes began to glow once again the leg grew back and so did his arm and after a few mere seconds his limbs were grown once more, he was whole once more. 

"Huh." He sighed in gratitude and flexed his arm and his leg. It had been so long since he had his arm back, he hadn't had it since he was a child and now... with his own child in tow, he wanted to be whole for his baby boy and now he was. 

He turned his head back to the side and tried to climb to his feet, he pushed himself up, the thin sheet he was wearing clad to his skin as he wobbled on his legs like a newborn horse, a weird simile. 

"Well, this is..." 

Rhys looked up to see Jack walking back into the room with their son in his arms. 

"I leave the room for a second." Jack chuckled. 

Rhys carefully made his way to them and put his hand on his son's head, "You were right, he's perfect."

"What should we call him?" 

"Hmm..." Rhys thought, "How about Timothy?" 

"No." Jack chuckled again, "I had a doppelganger named Timothy, didn't go well to say the least."

"What do you think?" 

"How about Adam?" Jack wondered, "First man, first son. Seems-"

"Fitting." Rhys agreed. "Yeah, Adam. I like that." 

"Well then," Jack smiled as he kissed his son's, Adam's, head. "I suppose we should worry about what we're going to do next." 


End file.
